Wednesday night's Fulton School Board meeting included a request from a local patron that the board allow time for public comments as a regular part of its meeting agendas.
Amanda Murdie - who noted she has two children in the district - had herself put on the agenda for Wednesday night's meeting to make that request, but said she should not have had to do that.
Murdie pointed out that although School Board Policy BDDH-1 includes the statement that, "A specifically designated time will be set aside for public comments at regular meetings of the Board of Education," there is no such designated time included in the agendas for Fulton School Board meetings. The policy also includes stipulations that the board will establish a time limit for the public comment period - including a uniform time limit for each speaker.
Murdie said the board should start implementing this policy and that the district should make the guidelines easily accessible to the public - the district website does have a link to board policies under the "District" tab on its home page.
She said having time set aside at meetings for public comment is "the norm in Missouri" specifically noting that the North Callaway, New Bloomfield, Jefferson City and Columbia school districts all do so.
Murdie argued that benefits of time for public comments would include the board receiving ideas "that actually help children in the district," increased parent involvement in the district and that it would "provide a measure of legitimacy in the policy making process."
"If you allow the public to comment in an organized way ... it will benefit all of our children," Murdie concluded.
The board did not provide any immediate feedback regarding Murdie's request, although they thanked her for her presentation.
Fulton Public Schools Superintendent Jacque Cowherd said Thursday that the policy Murdie cited is "an option" that the board has not opted to take to this point, but said the board does allow the public the opportunity to speak during meetings.
"The board has maintained a procedure of allowing the public on the agenda if they call and ask," Cowherd said. "Up to this time, the board's been comfortable with that. It may change, it may not."